The world of watercraft may be separated into two general categories of ships and boats, boats being the smaller vessels, usually pleasure or recreational craft, or yachts. Boats may range in size from an auxiliary vessel, a dinghy for example, carried on with a larger boat, and used to ferry passengers from an anchorage to shore and back, The size of the auxiliary and of the main vessel, carrying the auxiliary dinghy may vary, depending on the application and need.
As ships and boats may travel to destinations lacking embarking or disembarking facilities, for example, docks, wharfs, or slips, the auxiliary vessel is carried on the main vessel and launched when needed. When use is completed, the auxiliary vessel may be retrieved and stored in a suitable arrangement for travel with the main vessel.
Auxiliary vessels, even though small, may present a challenge in launching and retrieving, considering the weight, shape, and distribution of its mass. For example, one popular type of auxiliary vessel is the inflatable generally U_shaped pontoon boat, which opens rearward and has a transom extending between the legs of the pontoons adjacent the rear ends thereof. This transom is conventionally utilized for mounting a small outboard motor. Another type of auxiliary vessel is the personal watercraft.
Hauling an auxiliary vessel that is wide, bulky or heavy, for example, loaded or imbalanced with an attached outboard motor, on to the main vessel, for example one with a high freeboard relative to the length of the auxiliary vessel makes impractical, sliding or pushing or dragging the auxiliary vessel on board. Usually required to lift and place the auxiliary vessel on board, is a lifting device with davits, or a cradle for holding the auxiliary vessel and lifting it from the water, and holding it in its lifted position, for swinging it out board of the main vessel, or swinging it on to the main vessel to a storage position.
Many devices, for example the devices shown in issued U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,113,783, 5,018,473, and 4,864,951, disclose devices for holding, or lifting, an auxiliary vessel from its floating position, but none are able to accomplish the method of sliding or pushing or pulling, an auxiliary vessel onto or off, a storage platform and moving the storage platform from its retrieving position into its storage position in the process or retrieving the auxiliary vessel or moving the vessel from its storage position into its launch position, in the process of moving the auxiliary vessel off the storage platform and toward the water.
Other devices, for example as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,474,256 and 6,786,170, disclose auxiliary lifting and carrying devices which are hung outboard of the main vessel and merely lift or place an auxiliary vessel from or in the water, but do not carry the auxiliary vessel inboard of the main vessel or use an over the center device to use the torque produced by the weight of the auxiliary vessel as an assist or to hold the support platform used to support the auxiliary vessel in the carry or launch positions.